Only Love
by Linz005
Summary: AU-ish Season 5:Sixteen year old Dawn has lost so many things in her life and now she learns that it isn't even really her life. Will the one constant in her life make it all alright? SPAWN! Ch.16 Up!
1. Chapter One

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I always got annoyed by the way people had Buffy treat Dawn and Spike in these fics so here's my own take. Dawn's age has been adjusted to 16 in an AUish season 5. I will post one chapter a week (to be posted on Sundays) or after ten reviews from ten different people...so I strongly urge you to review if you want more sooner.   
  
Dawn ran through the cemetery clutching her arm. Buffy had freaked her out when she started acting all weird. Things had been strange lately and Dawn didn't understand why everyone kept saying the same thing. Buffy and Joyce had both asked who she was or what she was at different times. Then, there were those crazy people who looked at her and said there was nothing there. Dawn just needed to talk to someone who would listen and not tell her that it was nothing. She found the crypt that she knew to be Spike's and pushed the door open. Even though she talked to him all the time, a part of Dawn was still a little frightened whenever she entered the dark tomb.  
  
The space was completely empty and Spike was no where in sight. Dawn started to turn to leave, but she heard a familiar British accent speak behind her. "I don't think Big Sis would be too thrilled about this, Niblet." Dawn whirled around to see Spike wearing tight black jeans and a crimson buttoned down shirt that was opened over a black t-shirt. Spike was climbing up the ladder that led to the lower level of his crypt. When he saw Dawn's face though he knew something was wrong. Dawn went to speak, but she felt tears in her eyes and knew they would fall if she tried to speak. "Pet, what happened?" He noticed her holding her arm in front of her as though it were a broken wing.  
  
"I...Buffy..." Spike continued to move toward her. "She went all schizo on me. She hurt my arm. I got scared and didn't know where to go." Spike was standing right in front of her now and he reached out for her arm. Dawn held it tight against her chest.  
  
"Let, me see, Bit. I won't hurt you. If I do the bloody chip will go off." Dawn nodded and moved her arm into Spike's cool hands. "Sorry, my hands are cold. Comes with the territory and all that." Dawn forced a little smile. "I don't think it's broken, love. Do you want to see a doctor or something? I'll take you to the hospital." Spike looked into Dawn's eyes. She was visibly shaken by this whole thing. "C'mon, let's go." Spike put his arm around Dawn's shoulders. Dawn felt tears springing to her eyes and welcomed Spike's brotherly hug.  
  
Meanwhile, Buffy was occupied with much bigger things. She had no idea who the girl in the red dress was, but it was very clear that she was powerful. Buffy couldn't take her at least not now. She couldn't leave the man who looked like a monk to be tortured more. She grabbed the man and ran for it as the building nearly collapsed behind her. "Who are you? What was that?" She asked the injured man was they were a safe distance away.  
  
"I...I am a Dagon monk. My brethren and I protected the key from Glorificus." The monk said in a raspy whisper. He coughed a few times and Buffy had deduced that Glorificus was that slut bomb she had just faced.  
  
"Tell me what the key is so I can find it." Buffy commanded.  
  
"But you have already found it. We made the key flesh from you and sent it to the Slayer in the form of a sister and to a champion who would love and protect her."  
  
"Dawn isn't my sister?" Buffy didn't understand and she felt tears stream her face.  
  
"She doesn't know that." The monk said with one last gasp of breath. Buffy watched as the monk died. She wasn't sure what to do. Was Dawn good or bad? Why couldn't he have told her more? Buffy stood up and ran in the direction of home. She had to see Dawn.  
  
"Just take a seat, Miss Summers. We're a little short handed today so it may be a little bit of a wait." Dawn nodded and she and Spike took seats in the ER waiting room. Dawn hadn't said much since they left his crypt. Spike was worried about his Dawn. She was his only real friend in Sunnydale and probably the only one he'd ever had. He didn't like to see her hurting like this. Spike occupied himself by listening to the conversations of the nurses and people around.  
  
"Do you know where Ben is, again?" One of the nurses said to another. "It seems like he just disappears sometimes. He would have been able to clear out some of these patients. Oh well, let's just get some of the minor injuries taken care of. Here, this is Miss Summers's chart. Broken arm at worst." She handed a file to an intern.  
  
"They're going to call us now. It's about bloody time."  
  
"How did you know?" Dawn asked quietly.  
  
"Vamipiric hearing." He whispered so that only Dawn could hear him. "I heard the nurses talking." The nurse came out only seconds later and called Dawn back. Spike went with her and sat as a doctor examined her arm.  
  
"It's only a sprain. I don't even think we need x-rays. I'll get you a brace just for comfort and if it gets worse come back and we'll check it out again. I'll be right back." The doctor was nice enough and Dawn was glad to know that Buffy hadn't hurt her badly. She never remembered Buffy actually hurting her. They had had squabbles as kids, but that was before Buffy had Slayer strength. After that Buffy laid off the fighting. The doctor came back not long after with the brace and placed it on Dawn's arm.  
  
"I better get you home. The Slayer or quite possibly Joyce, will dust me if they know you're missing."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure..." Dawn said sullenly. Spike caught her chin with his thumb and index finger and lifted her chin.  
  
"What's going on, pet? You can tell me." Spike looked deep in her eyes. Lately things had been different for him when he looked at Dawn. She was sixteen now and he no longer saw her as a little girl. She was a beautiful woman and a part of Spike wondered if this was what Angel had felt for Buffy. He never made any mention of this to Dawn knowing what it could lead to...Buffy dusting him or even worse if Dawn freaked and dusted him. He'd just be her protector.  
  
"Something isn't right. When Buffy grabbed my arm, she asked me who I was. Mom said the same thing the other day when she fainted. There was crazy guy a few weeks ago who said that there was nothing there, no data when he looked at me." Dawn had been startled by these comments even more than she had let on in the past. "I'm just afraid that something's going on and everyone knows it, but me." Dawn got up and walked briskly out on to the street where she picked her pace up to almost a run. Spike chased after her with only a few second delay and soon caught up with her.  
  
"Niblet, stop..." Dawn kept running. "Or at least slow down." Dawn stopped and turned to face him. He walked up to her side. "I swear to you that as far as I know nothing is going on other than the usual. You aren't anything other than Dawn Summers. Not Buffy's little sister even. You are a bloody amazing girl! You've had to deal with all of Buffy's baggage without the added bonus of Slayer strength. You're smart and beautiful and..."  
  
"What did you say?" Dawn asked thinking that she must be hearing things. Spike didn't talk about her like this. Dawn looked up into Spike's eyes which gleamed in the light of the street lamps.  
  
"I said that you were smart...and beautiful." Spike looked away from her. "I meant it too." Dawn collapsed into Spike's arms.  
  
"You're the only one who cares. The only one who thinks I'm anything more than Buffy's sister, the burden. I didn't ask to be the Slayer's sister."  
  
"Shh...love. No one thinks you're a burden. The Scoobies all care about you and your mum. Which reminds me that we better get you home before your mum freaks out." Dawn leaned out of Spike's embrace, but he kept an arm wrapped snuggly around her shoulders as they made their way to Revello Drive. 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I told you that I was going to wait for ten reviews to update, but I'm glad I got five and so I've decided to make it five reviews or a Sunday for an update. I never keep my word when I get reviews cuz I hate waiting too. I hope you keep liking it since this is my first attempt at a long BtVS fic.  
  
Shadowcat2003: I love Spawn fics and I'm glad you like mine  
  
lazy128: Thanks for the review. I hope the update doesn't disappoint  
  
Jen: Thanks for your review too...I'm glad you were hoping for an update  
  
Karmawiccan: I'm glad my fic was enticing enough to make you read a Spawn story!!  
  
MeganG45: You were my first review!! Thanks for taking and interest.  
  
Now on with Chapter Two...  
  
Buffy had gotten back a few minutes earlier. Joyce had gone out that night and wasn't back yet. In a panic Buffy called Giles and recounted the history of the key as she knew it to him. "I remember when Dad left, Dawnie cried for like a week. But she didn't because she wasn't even there. She isn't real and someone is looking for her to use her for god knows what. I just...I don't know what to do. They told me they sent her here to be my sister so that I could love and protect her."  
  
"That's what he said?"  
  
"Yeah, he said that they sent her to the slayer as a sister and a champion to love and protect. I thought it was weird too because if she was my sister then obviously I would do the other two."  
  
"That is odd, but he was rather incapacitated. We'll research tomorrow and find out everything we can about Glorificus." Buffy nodded as she heard the downstairs door close. "I wouldn't tell Dawn or your mother about this. Try to act normally." Buffy nodded once more and stood up to go downstairs.  
  
"Mom! I'm home. Mom?" Since no one answered Dawn figured Joyce was still out. "I could use some hot chocolate, how about you?" Dawn asked Spike with a smile.  
  
"I would, pet, but I think Big Sis should be back and I don't want the bi—"  
  
"What was that Spike?" Buffy said coming down the stairs. Spike smirked at her, but shut his mouth all the same. "What are you doing here anyway?"  
  
"He took me to the hospital and I thought I'd give him some hot chocolate as a thank you." Dawn snapped back at Buffy.  
  
"Why did you go to the hospital?" Buffy had all but forgotten about the fight they had had. Dawn lifted her arm so Buffy could see the brace.  
  
"Someone nearly broke my arm when they grabbed me before. Hmm...who could that have been?" Dawn was angry with Buffy right now and had no intention of hiding. "If Spike wants to stay he can. You're not mom and mom likes Spike anyway so..."  
  
"I get it Dawn. I'm sorry you're mad at me. I didn't mean to." Dawn rolled her eyes unimpressed. "I'm going to patrol for a while." Buffy just wanted to get out of the house.  
  
"Come on, Spike." Dawn said walking away toward the kitchen. She filled the kettle with hot water and got the cocoa mix and mini marshmallows out of the cabinet. She handed the bag to Spike not taking any herself. "So hot chocolate and marshmallows is that like a common vamp liking or just you?"  
  
"I don't think as a rule vamps enjoy it, but there's worse things in the world. We vampires have very selective tastes since we don't have to eat. I only drink hot chocolate and eat spicy chicken wings and onion blossoms. Blood's really the only vampire thing." Spike said with a slight smile. He loved the way Dawn was listening to him so intently with a wide smile on her face like she was truly hanging on every single word he said. No one had ever done that before, not even Dru.  
  
"Yeah, well even with a vampire slaying sister I know very little about your average vampire. I have to be all protected 24/7." Dawn frowned as the kettle whistled and she fixed the hot chocolate. Spike gave her a look when she mentioned the protected 24/7 thing. "I don't get it either."  
  
"I get Big Sis's point, but I don't get how not telling you anything is bloody well protecting you. I protect you and I tell you everything."  
  
"You only protect me because Buffy would kill you if you didn't." Dawn said with a little pain in her voice. She wished it was on his own accord, but she couldn't fool herself with that.  
  
"Rot! I would protect you no matter what she said. She told me to leave and I didn't. I care about you, pet. Now maybe back when I first got this damn chip it was more of a survival tactic, but Buffy would much rather I left you alone." Dawn knew she had a girlish grin on her lips and could feel herself blushing. "You really need to do more of that and less of the whole crying thing." Spike took his hot chocolate out of her hand. The back door opened a few minutes later and Joyce stepped in.  
  
"How was your date? Good?" Dawn said with a smile.  
  
"It went well. In fact I may see him again in a few weeks when he gets back from a business trip." Joyce gave Dawn a motherly kiss on the cheek and a hug. "Hello, Spike." Joyce was a little uneasy seeing a vampire in her house even one that she knew and liked.  
  
"Hey, Joyce. Dawnie, invited me in for a little hot chocolate. Then I'll be on my way."  
  
"It was a thank-you, Mom. Spike took me to the umm....hospital." Dawn slurred the last word under her breath knowing Joyce wouldn't be able to tell what it was.  
  
"The where, honey?" Joyce took off her coat and hung it over a chair before sitting down next to Dawn.  
  
"Please don't freak out." Joyce made a face that clearly indicated that she probably would freak out since Dawn prefaced it with that statement. "Alright. Spike took me to the hospital because I hurt my arm." She lifted her injured arm that was still in the brace.  
  
"Dawnie, sweetie, how did this happen?" Dawn tried to think fast, but Joyce knew what she was up to. "The truth."  
  
"The truth...." Dawn said with a sad laugh. "The truth is Buffy was acting weird and grabbed my arm. I thought it might be broken so I went to find Spike after Buffy left. It's just a sprain."  
  
"The doc said she'd be fine, Joyce." Spike interjected. A concerned Joyce turned to him.  
  
"Thank you for taking care of our little Dawnie," Dawn rolled her eyes. "I'll have a talk with Buffy later. I'm going to go change when your finished here get ready for bed and I'll make you some chicken and stars soup." Dawn half smiled, but mostly blushed. Why did Spike have to be standing there right now?  
  
"Yup, little Dawnie loves her chicken and stars."  
  
"I dunno, pet. You're not so little after all. I better go. Thanks for the hot chocolate." Spike walked toward the back door. "Oh and I'll see you around, love." Dawn squealed as soon as she knew he was far enough away not to hear. She knew he used the term love all the time, but she still felt all wonky when he said it to her.  
  
"Maybe, I'm not so little." She smiled to herself tidying up the kitchen and going up to bed. She fell down on the bed thinking about the wonder that is Spike and soon was adding an entry to her diary about him. Her mom brought her up some soup and she ate it happily sitting in bed.  
  
Just as she was finishing eating, Buffy came in. "Get out of my room." 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I shouldn't make empty threats. I really love reviews and all, but I really like posting the story for the people who do review so please keep reviewing, but I'll put up new chapters whenever I feel that the story has been received well enough. I'm going to give you two chapters tonight (I'd love if you reviewed both ;) ) because one isn't very spawny...  
  
Karmawiccan, K. Lynn Smith, Molls : Thanks for your great reviews. I love Spawn stories and I'm glad that even if you don't love the ship your enjoying the story.  
  
Now on with Chapter Three...  
  
"Dawn I'm sorry I hurt your arm."  
  
"Yeah whatever."  
  
"I said I was sorry. I didn't mean..."  
  
"Jeez, broken record-much. I really don't want to hear it. I know something was going on that made you act weird. God forbid you tell poor, innocent little Dawn. I'm sixteen years old. I can take care of myself. Now just go."  
  
"Would it make you feel better if I let you hit me?" Buffy said trying to make light of the situation.  
  
"Yeah, it would." Dawn said in all seriousness.  
  
"Alright then, go ahead." Dawn pulled her open hand back and soon Buffy felt the sting of Dawn's palm across her face. Buffy stood dumbstruck for a moment and finally walked out of the room. Dawn put her soup bowl on her nightstand and curled up before going to sleep thinking about Spike.  
  
The next morning, Dawn woke up still a little angry at Buffy. She walked downstairs to where her mom was making breakfast. "Mom, is it alright if I go to a friend's house after school?" Dawn asked innocently.  
  
"Of course, honey. Be careful and be home for dinner at six." Dawn nodded and gave her mom a quick kiss and grabbing some food to eat on the way to school. "What's your rush?" A second later Buffy's footsteps were heard on the stairs.  
  
"I think that should answer your question." Buffy stepped into the kitchen and Dawn stepped out the door.  
  
"Buffy, I was a little preoccupied last night with Dawn, but I would really like to know what happened last night between you two. I know siblings fight at all ages, but you should know better and you do have quite an advantage."  
  
"I lost my cool, Mom. It was stupid and it won't happen again. Promise." Joyce looked skeptically at her.  
  
"I'll take your word for it, but please be a little more careful in the future." Buffy nodded uneasily and picked up a book from the counter.  
  
"I'm off to class. Do you want me and Xander to pick up Dawn at school? He just bought a new car probably wouldn't mind trying it out. Give you a little break."  
  
"No need. Dawnie's going to a friend's house after school." Buffy hadn't thought of it before, but even Dawn's friends hadn't known her forever. This idea was a huge one to wrap one's mind around. 


	4. Chapter Four

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: Here's the other chapter I promised. Now fixed so that it isn't the same as Chapter Three that was my fault...a little copy and paste debacle.  
  
Now on with Chapter Four...  
  
Dawn walked through the cemetery after school making a beeline to Spike's crypt. Even though it was mid-afternoon and quite sunny, Dawn still felt a little weary walking amid all those graves. When no one answered the door, she wondered if he were sleeping. Maybe she shouldn't have come? Suddenly the door opened in a manner of a horror movie.  
  
"Slayer, I don't relish the idea of being burnt to a bleeding crisp. Could you make it fast?" Spike sounded irritated and Dawn wondered if Buffy came by a lot to interrogate him.  
  
"It's me, Spike." Dawn said quietly.  
  
"Oh, Niblet, right then. Sorry bout that. Big Sis isn't quite as polite as you are when she drops by. What are you doing here anyway? Pretty dangerous place for a young thing like you." Dawn glared at him pretending like she hadn't thought of the same thing.  
  
"I am sixteen years old and am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides its 3:30."  
  
"Yeah, I know I was sleeping..." Spike added with a smirk.  
  
"Fine then. I didn't want to go home so I told Mom I was going out after school. I'll just go." Dawn turned to leave.  
  
"Well, if you're here, you might as well come in. And like I said before, I don't fancy getting burnt to death so close the door." Spike moved over to one of the sarcophagi in the room and sat on it leaning on one knee while the other leg hung down the front. Dawn couldn't believe how sexy he looked like that dressed all in black. She closed the heavy door and walked over to where Spike sat sliding onto the sarcophagus next to him. "What's on your mind, pet?"  
  
"Nothing special. I just wanted to see you..." Dawn swallowed hard. Had she just said that? How dorky was Spike going to think she was? Spike actually seemed to smile. It wasn't a smirk or an evil grin. It was a real smile. Dawn felt her lips curl into a similar smile and she bit her bottom lip.  
  
"What's that for?"  
  
"I never saw you smile like that before. I liked it." Spike smiled again.  
  
"Don't let it get out. The Big Bad has a reputation to uphold, love." She smiled and blushed again. "And what was that for?" Spike said immediately noticing it.  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
"You really don't know much about vamps do you?"  
  
"Only the basics, thanks to Buffy thinking I can't handle it."  
  
"Yeah, well, I can tell when you're lying. Now what was that for a minute ago?"  
  
"I just like all your little pet names for me...I mean people...people in general." Dawn mentally berated herself for sounding like a child. "Ya know like niblet, love, pet..." She was practically daydreaming while talking to him, thinking of his voice when he said them.  
  
"Niblet, we need to talk." Dawn knew what would come next, but she didn't want to hear it especially not before doing what she had wanted to do since she met Spike. Just as Spike was going to talk, Dawn leaned forward and caught his mouth in a kiss. She wished she had more experience. She had only kissed a couple of guys before and none of them mattered like Spike. She waited for him to pull away, but for a long moment he didn't. He kissed her back and that, no matter what came next, meant the most to Dawn.  
  
"I'm sorry." Dawn said when they broke the kiss. She jumped to her feet and moved to the door.  
  
"Dawn, wait, please." Dawn wasn't sure if she should stop or not, but she did. "If you go out that door, I can't follow you, not now anyway. We need to talk for one bloody second before you run off, love." Dawn took a deep breath and moved a little closer to her previous location next to him.  
  
"I know what you're going to say. I'm only sixteen and you're..."  
  
"An incredibly old vampire." Spike had never had any kind of relationship with any woman or girl for that matter who wasn't a vampire since he had been turned.  
  
"I get it. You think I'm just a kid like everyone else."  
  
"I didn't say that, pet. I'm not just older than you. I'm older than most. I'm not anymore used to this than you are, Niblet. Feeling this way..." Dawn looked into his eyes moving closer and closer.  
  
"What way?"  
  
"Like I want to grab you right now and kiss you again." Dawn was only millimeters away. She saw him smile once more, that real smile. The kiss was hot and passionate and afterward Spike who was now standing was holding Dawn tight. 


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan, who has become one of my faithful reviewers. I love your reviews thanks so much.  
  
Naughty169420: Thanks for telling me about the chapter mix up. I fixed chapter four so that it is spawntastic and climactic so make sure you catch it!!  
  
K. Lynn Smith: Thanks for another review. I like a little sibling rivalry even though I do generally like Buffy it always seemed like she treated Dawn kinda crappy!  
  
**Now on with Chapter Five...**

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"I've waited so long to do that. I never really thought it would happen."  
  
"Me too, pet. I've thought of you as my Dawn for a while now. Just didn't want to admit it because of the bleeding implications it would have. I mean your age was a factor..."  
  
"But Buffy was my age when she started dating Angel."  
  
"Buffy will dust me, Dawn, if she finds out." Dawn knew this as well, but hadn't wanted to think of it.  
  
"Well, we'll just make like friends in front of them and you can keep helping out and maybe one day it'll be better. Now that we both know how we feel, I can't walk away."  
  
"Couldn't walk away before, either, Niblet." For the time being Spike and Dawn decided not to think of the complications that were likely to come. All that mattered right not was this moment. Spike held and kissed Dawn and listened to her thoughts and problems. He told her stories from when he was alive and what he'd seen in his 127 some odd years. Dawn glanced at her watch. Had it really been over two hours? She had to get home.  
  
"I told Mom I'd be home at six. We can't risk anyone getting suspicious now. I better go." Dawn reluctantly moved out of his embrace.  
  
"It's dark out. I could walk you almost home just not all the way. Buffy would wonder why I was walking you home from your friend's house."  
  
"That would be nice." Spike picked up his leather duster and put it on. He wrapped his arm comfortably around Dawn's waist. They walked together to the edge of Revello and then Spike knew he better say goodbye.  
  
"Bye, love. I'll try to find an excuse to stop by later. I'm sure there's something I could tell the Slayer or something." Spike kissed Dawn once more before she walked away.  
  
Dawn walked into the house cheerily and looked for her mom in the kitchen, but she wasn't there. Dawn went up to her mom's room and saw Joyce packing an overnight bag. "Mommy, is something wrong?" Dawn asked with worry in her voice.  
  
"That nothing I've been dealing with for the past few weeks may not be nothing. I'm going for some tests, sweetie." Dawn let a few tears slip down her cheeks. "Don't worry, honey, I'm going to be absolutely fine." Dawn hugged her mother tightly. "Buffy went to get some take out food for you and her." Dawn nodded and went to her room until Buffy came back. She didn't understand why everything was so perfect with Spike all of a sudden and everything with her family was falling apart.  
  
Joyce was going to the hospital that night so that she could go for the tests first thing the next morning. Buffy brought back the food and then took Joyce to the hospital. Dawn stayed home at Joyce's request because she didn't want Dawn or Buffy to make a big deal out of nothing. Dawn would have been angry, but she didn't want to fight with her mom now. Joyce and Buffy had even agreed to let her stay by herself. Now she just hoped Spike would make an appearance. Now that she was his Dawn as he put it, she wanted him around.  
  
Dawn pulled out her laptop and tried desperately to concentrate on the paper she had to write for history class. She just didn't feel much like writing a whole paper on the Boxer Rebellion what with her mother in the hospital and all. She had managed to write her name and date on the paper when the doorbell rang. She answered the door and was ecstatic to see Spike on the other side. She immediately threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "What's the matter, Bit? Where is everyone?" Spike kept a hold on Dawn's waist as he stood in the doorway.  
  
"My mom, she...uhh...Buffy took her to the hospital. She's having some tests done to find out if something's wrong with her. Spike, I'm so scared." She sobbed into his chest.  
  
"'S alright, love. Shh...it'll be alright. You Summers women are strong. Joyce will fight whatever if anything is wrong." Dawn continued to cry trembling against Spike. "Let me take care of you not because you can't take care of yourself, but because I want to." He led her over to the couch and they sat down Dawn wrapped in Spike's arms. "Do you know when Buffy will be back?" Spike said after they had been quiet for a while. He didn't want to bring it up, but he knew there would be hell to pay if she found them in this close of proximity.  
  
"She was going patrolling afterwards and then I think she's going back to her dorm. She stayed here last night, which was very annoying given the circumstances of last night. Mom told her not to worry about me or hang over me so Buffy agreed to let me stay alone."  
  
"Last night wasn't all bad, though, now was it?" Spike said with an arched eyebrow and a bit of a smirk.  
  
"There was one small highlight..." Dawn said before Spike kissed her. "Yeah, that would be the highlight. My Big Bad took care of me."  
  
Dawn looked at the clock it was almost nine o'clock and she still had a paper to write. "So," Dawn began walking back to her laptop. "Do you know anything about the Boxer Rebellion?" Spike laughed.  
  
"Yeah, pet, I know a few things since I was there. What do you need to know?" Dawn smiled.  
  
"Already reaping the benefits of having an older, well-traveled boyfriend." Dawn bit her tongue after having said the word boyfriend especially when Spike got really quiet. "I didn't mean it...I mean the whole boyfriend thing...its...umm..." Dawn rambled on, but Spike shook his head.  
  
"Alright." Spike finished for her. "I told you I cared about you. 'S that what you want, though. To be my girl?" This was a first. Someone wanting to be his without already belonging to someone or despising him like Drusilla and Cecily.  
  
"Of course. Spike, I love you."  
  
"Love you, too, pet." They kissed once more and then got going on Dawn's paper. 


	6. Chapter Six

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: A girl goes away for one night for a little pre graduation partying and returns to all these wonderful reviews! I just had to update  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: Thanks again. I know that the relationship may seem to be starting out fast but the story (which is written fairly far in advance) is going to be very, very long and I felt that it would be ok to have love's bitch jump in pretty fast...  
  
Naughty169420: Glad you like the spawnyness that really is my favorite aspect of the story the pairing. Thanks again.  
  
Tempete and kiddie: Two first timers! Yay! Thanks for your reviews.  
  
Now on with Chapter Six...

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Spike stayed until just before sunrise. He watched Dawn sleeping and held her close. He moved her gently out of his embrace and walked for the door. He left a note for her on her desk. It said: "Dear Dawn, I had to run. Come by after school. Love always, Will." He signed using his human name because he knew there was a possibility that Buffy might one day find it and he didn't want to risk that.  
  
Dawn got up for school and was sad to see Spike had left, but was glad to see the note. Spike had elegant handwriting and she could barely believe it. She had to remind herself that Spike had learned to write back when everyone wrote like he did, but it was still strange to think of someone named Spike writing so beautifully on a page. She smiled at the fact that he signed it Will, knowing that only Drusilla and Angelus ever got away with calling him William.  
  
The walk to school was absolutely vibrant. Everything looked better and seemed better. Someone cared, truly cared about Dawn and not because he had to or was related to her. When she got to school she walked happily to her art class. She liked art class and after everything that had happened she felt pretty artistic. Midway through the class though she saw Buffy approaching the classroom. She knew something bad must of happened for Buffy to come. Probably an apocalypse or something. She came in and talked with Dawn's teacher for a minute.  
  
"Dawn, can you come with me?" Buffy said.  
  
"But what about class..."  
  
"This is really important. Please just come." Buffy seemed weary and her eyes were bloodshot. Dawn picked up her stuff and followed Buffy out of the room. "Dawnie, Mom had a CAT scan and the doctors found a tumor." Buffy paused trying not to cry. Dawn was on the verge of tears, but hoped she was wrong about what was coming. "They were performing a procedure on her and...Dawnie, she didn't make it." Dawn felt her knees give out and she fell to the floor in a complete breakdown. This couldn't be happening. Spike had told her that her mom was strong. She was supposed be home tonight.  
  
Once Dawn could stand she just wanted to get away from everything and everyone. She stood up and looked at Buffy. "No. You're lying!" Dawn screamed and then she ran for the door. Buffy chased after her, but Dawn just kept running and running. Buffy didn't want to chase her right now. Maybe they both needed to deal with this in their own way. Buffy needed to do so many things that she just needed to keep going like a shark. Dawn needed to stop though and she stopped at Spike's Crypt.  
  
"Bloody hell, Dawn. Are you alright?" Spike said seeing her disheveled appearance.  
  
Dawn burst through the door in tears sobbing loudly. "Spike, she—she..." Spike ran over to Dawn as soon as the door was closed and pulled her close. "Mom, died at the hospital."  
  
"I'm so sorry, bit. Joyce was a really nice lady. She was nice to be when no one else was." Spike rested his chin on the top of Dawn's head which was touching his chest. Spike could feel a tear fall from his eye not just for Dawn's loss, but for his own. "Shouldn't you be with Big Sis, though, love?" Dawn pulled away.  
  
"Why? You're already sick of me, don't want to deal with me?"  
  
"You know that wasn't my bloody point. I love you. I only meant that maybe you'd want to be with your sister."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Don't apologize, love. You have good reason to snap at me if you want to." Spike kissed the top of her head lovingly having wrapped his arms around her again.  
  
"I don't think I can go home now. I'll be waiting for her to come home and she won't. Buffy won't want to deal with me I'm sure. Can I stay here?" Dawn said between tears.  
  
"Of course, pet, you can always stay here. You can lay down downstairs and if Buffy comes looking for her, I'll come up alone and tell her whatever you want me too."  
  
"But what if she finds me here and gets mad at you..."  
  
"I'm not important right now." He said and then led Dawn down to the lower level of the crypt. Dawn willingly went downstairs and Spike held her in his arms while sitting on the bed. He stroked her hair and kissed her, but most importantly he let her cry. Time passed though and eventually Dawn was able to stop crying. She wished this could all be a dream. Spike knew it was still early since he could tell when the sun had set so he knew Buffy wouldn't be worried about her just yet. He brushed a piece of hair out of her face placing behind her ear.  
  
"I miss my mom, Spike. It's only been a few hours and I miss her...I can't do this."  
  
"I know, love. It never should have happened." Spike said the words and then he was struck with a sudden realization. He thought back to how he had been when he first came to Sunnydale or even before that. He had killed people's mothers and very well could have killed Joyce if things had been just a little different. It hurt him to think that he could have hurt Dawn like this and he wondered if she realized that.  
  
Dawn didn't say much and Spike didn't know what to say. He had dealt death to more people than he could probably count, but he didn't have anything comforting to say to Dawn whom he loved more than anything. He saw the weary, tired look in her eyes and it broke his heart. She looked so broken. "Pet, do you want to lay down and get some rest?" He said quietly to her. He knew it was still mid-afternoon, but she needed to rest.  
  
"You'll stay won't you?" Dawn couldn't bear losing anyone else.  
  
"I'll never leave you Dawn." They kissed and Spike lay down beside her his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Spike listened to her breathing and heartbeat as she fell asleep and eventually he dozed off as well. A few hours later he heard the door to his crypt open and slam. Spike carefully unwrapped his arms from Dawn and moved swiftly upstairs. "What do you need, Slayer? 'S everything alright?" Spike didn't want to be mean to her given he already knew about Joyce.  
  
"I'm looking for Dawnie. You haven't seen her have you?"  
  
"She stopped by earlier and told me what happened. I'm sorry bout Joyce." Buffy nodded. She hated Spike most of the time, but he and Joyce had seemed to get along as weird as that sounded. "Dawn left, though, not sure where she was headed. The niblet was pretty freaked out, but I'm sure she's safe. If I see her I'll bring her home." Buffy barely acknowledged him before leaving. She slammed the door as she exited. A part of Spike was glad since Dawn was still safely downstairs.  
  
Dawn was startled by the sound of the door and the next thing she knew she was jolted awake. Spike walked down the stairs just in time to almost be hit by a bottle that flew across the room. He recognized it as the one he had placed on the table near the bed before it shattered against the wall. "Pet, no need to throw things at me. I didn't tell big sis you were here." Dawn was staring wide eyed at the shattered glass.  
  
"But...I-I didn't." Dawn gave a confused look at Spike. "I heard the door slam upstairs and I woke up. Then I saw the glass break." Spike looked at her for a long moment not sure what to do or say.  
  
"A lot has happened today, niblet. We'll figure this out some other time." Spike sat back down on the bed and Dawn leaned into his arm which was wrapped around her shoulders. Even though verbally Spike had dropped the matter of the broken bottle, he was still trying to wrap his mind around what had happened. In the silence he thought about all the things Dawn had told him in the past few days. Buffy hurting her arm, her mother asking her who she was...There was definitely something happening to Dawn. Spike had to figure this out for her sake.

* * *

A/N: In my version Dawn gets some funky powers if you picked up on that....It's pretty au in that respect! Cheers, Lindsay 


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: This chapter is a bit short and a bit cliffy so review if you want an update

Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: I'm glad you like the idea of Dawn having powers. I don't want to give anything away, but expect a few other changes involving Dawn/ The Key.  
  
JenaMariano: A first timer! I'm glad you like this fic. Thanks for your review and I was actually worried people wouldn't like me messing with the Dawn/The Key mythology, but you all seem to enjoy it!  
  
Lindsay: That's my name hehe...I think that it is an unconventional pairing in this story because I find a lot of people my Spike kinda of mean toward her in their stories where they're supposed to be paired and I don't like to think he would do that. Also, it's easier to be original because there aren't as many of this pairing as like spuffy or bangel stories.  
  
Now on with Chapter Seven...

* * *

"Bit, it's pretty dark out now. Are you ready to go home? I can take you now." Spike asked her quietly kissing her cheek.  
  
"I guess I better. Can't stay here forever." Dawn paused. "Spike, today has been the worst day of my life, but you've taken care of me again like you always do. I love you, Will."  
  
"What did you call me?" His emotion about being called Will was unclear.  
  
"Will, that's how you signed the note you left in my room. If you don't want me to call you that I won't..."  
  
"No, love, it's fine. It's just very few people have referred to me by my human name or part of my human name without using it as a way to berate me. Buffy, bloody well does and Angelus did. But you said that you loved me...I love you too." Spike kissed her gently. "Let's get you home."  
  
They walked toward Revello quietly Dawn hurting from her loss and Spike trying to support her. Just before they got to the door, he pulled her aside. "Niblet, Buffy probably won't want me to stay and understandably so given what's happened. I'll wait out here until I see your bedroom light go off. Leave your window open if you want me to come up." He touched her cheek as they approached the door. Dawn opened it to find all the Scoobies including Buffy sitting in the living room. Buffy ran over to Dawn and hugged her tight.  
  
"Dawnie, I was so worried about you. I looked everywhere." She held her tighter.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just wandered around and when Spike found me he brought me back. I was just upset."  
  
"I know, sweetie. It'll be ok. I have to do some more things, but why don't you go get some sleep and I'll fill you in on the plans tomorrow." Dawn just nodded and turned for the stairs. She wanted to be involved, but she didn't think she could handle it right now. She waved to Spike with a sad smile.  
  
"I'll be going, then." Spike said to the others. "Sorry again about Joyce." Buffy nodded with a smile similar to that of Dawn's at the moment.  
  
"Thanks for bringing her home. I know it probably wasn't something you wanted to do."  
  
"No problem, Slayer." Spike stepped out of the door and into the shadows. It was still early only about eight o'clock. He stood with his back against the tall oak tree near Dawn's window. He saw her light click off and heard the window open before beginning his ascent on the tree. Dawn stood in her darkened window looking for Spike whom she could barely see in the dark.  
  
"How are you holding up, love?" Spike asked as he climbed through the window stealthily. Dawn shrugged. Spike pulled her into his arms so that he could whisper into her ear. "It's alright, bit. I've got you." He kissed her cheek and held her close. Dawn went to speak, but Spike gave her a quick warning. "Just whisper, love. We don't want big sis to hear and I'll hear you." Dawn nodded and began to whisper.  
  
"Thanks for covering for me. I couldn't bear for Buffy to find out about us tonight. I can't lose you."  
  
"Don't worry like I told you I'll never leave you." Spike kissed her again. "I'll stay forever love. I'll hide in your bleeding closet during the day if I have to." Spike said with a soft laugh. He and Dawn sat down on the bed close to one another.  
  
"Spike, can I ask you something that might sound strange?" Dawn put her head down on Spike's shoulder.  
  
"Of course, Niblet. What?"  
  
"What does it feel like to die?" Spike's body stiffened. "I want to know what my mom felt."


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: You might notice a little detail of this chapter that Harmony mentioned on the series finale of Angel...I would like to say I thought of it first...lol...I mean I wrote it before I saw the eppy...I'm not that much of a thief...  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: I know it seems like a morbid question and I tried to answer it the best I could from a vampires perspective (since I'm neither dead nor a vamp lol)  
  
Megan and manda: Glad you both like the story. I promise it will be updated regularly  
  
Chantel: Thanks for the review. I love Spawn, but sometimes don't like the way people explore it. I also felt that Dawn should have been a little more self reliant then she came across.  
  
Now on with Chapter Eight...

* * *

"Pet, it's not the same. I didn't just die, I was killed."  
  
"Did it hurt?" Dawn pressed on with her questions even though Spike clearly didn't want to answer.  
  
"Well, when Dru bit me yeah it hurt like hell, but then everything just sort of faded away and I couldn't feel anything. It was just calm and peaceful, but after that things were pretty different for me. The vampiric blood was working its mojo and all that. Dawn, I'm sure your mum is somewhere peaceful now and I'm sure she's not in any pain." Spike said to Dawn as he listened to her sniff back tears a few times.  
  
"What do you miss the most from when you were alive?" Dawn asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know, pet. When I rose for the first time I didn't really miss anything. That moment feeling that power, you don't miss anyone or anything. Now, after all this time, I guess I'd have to say my heartbeat. I mean that would prove I was alive wouldn't it?" He leaned his head against Dawn's. Dawn put her hand on Spike's chest.  
  
"I think you're plenty alive even without a heartbeat. The way you love and fight. Dead things don't do that." Dawn said with a smile. Spike leaned into her lips and kissed her warmly.  
  
"Any other questions pet?" Dawn bit her bottom lip debating whether or not to ask the other question. "You can ask whatever you want? 'S not like I've got any big secrets."  
  
"Well, the thing is...what does it feel like to shift into game face?" Spike really didn't want to answer her question now. It would be telling her something he could never take back, something about his true nature.  
  
"Dawn, it's letting out the demon that's in me. Giving over to the things that it craves."  
  
"Blood."  
  
"Yeah, generally, and violence, the kill. If there is anything evil about me that is it. That is the monster." Spike said dropping his arms from around her and looking away. He put his head in his hand and after a few moments he shifted into game face. "See for yourself."  
  
Dawn scoutched a little closer to Spike so she could see him clearly. His eyes gleamed with gold which avoided making contact with her. Dawn lifted her hand to his face. Spike initially flinched away from her touch, but then allowed her to touch him. She traced the pattern of ridges along his forehead and then ran her finger down to his lip. Spike knew that she was about to touch his fangs and he fought the urge to shift back. She carefully ran her index finger across the sharp teeth. "Ouch..." She said afterward and Spike quickly felt a sharp pain in his head. He looked at her finger and saw a bead of blood forming on the tip. The smell of even that small drop was intoxicating.  
  
"Didn't even mean to cause you pain." He grabbed his head, but kept himself from yelling. Spike put his fingers up to his temples.  
  
"Come here, Spike." Dawn said moving back on the bed so that Spike could lay with his head in her lap. Dawn looked down at her finger a small stream of blood had slid down her finger. "Here." Dawn put her hand out near Spike's mouth. "For the pain..." Spike couldn't resist it and licked the blood off her finger lapping at the wound mark for a second until the wound clotted over.


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: This chapter is pretty short in my opinion, but the next one is much, much longer and climactic so that one will be up either tomorrow or if I find a lot of love tonight, I'll post it later tonight.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: That's my whole thing. I think that Buffy never really embraced the demon that's why they could never work out on the show. Dawn loves both parts of Spike...Getting a bit giddy talking about Spike I better stop...  
  
Tempete and Yuko: Glad you like the fic. Hope the update doesn't disappoint. Lots of action coming up in the next chapter though!!!  
  
Jena Mariano: Your ch. 7 review definitely came in as I was posting ch. 8. Glad you still like it. You may notice as the fic progresses that Dawn calls Spike well Spike, but that'll be explained later!! She will call him Will sometimes though...  
  
Now on with Chapter Nine...

* * *

"Thanks pet." Dawn ran her fingers through his hair gently rubbing his temples from time to time. "Got my girl to take care of me now." He smiled up at her, but Dawn wasn't really expressing much of any emotion. "Or have you changed your mind now that you saw the monster part of me."  
  
"Never!" Dawn had to fight her emotions to keep from yelling. "I'm your girl and I will take care of you." She kissed Spike's forehead gently. He winced in pain pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.  
  
"Every time that blasted chip goes off it feels like my head is going to explode." Dawn continued to move her fingers through his hair.  
  
"Do you want me to get you some aspirin or something?"  
  
"No just stay there." He whispered even more softly as he thought about something. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"What happened with the wine bottle back at the crypt?" Dawn stopped moving her hand her whole body tensing.  
  
"I don't know how it happened. It wasn't the first time. Sometimes when I get scared or nervous things move or fall or break." Spike had felt the pain in his head begin to subside and he sat up to look at Dawn. "I don't know maybe it's just a coincidence."  
  
"Niblet, I don't think it's just a coincidence. I've always felt some kind of power in you when I'm around you lately. Red and Glinda probably have to. I think you did it with your mind." Dawn was startled, but a little excited.  
  
"Do you know a lot about this kind of stuff?"  
  
"I know some. Been around with those kinds of people for a long time."  
  
"After things have calmed down around here will you help me figure it out?"  
  
"Of course, love. I'll do anything for you." Spike kissed her forehead.  
  
He stayed the night and kissed her goodbye before leaving in the morning. Dawn went downstairs where Buffy was already making breakfast to find out what was going on. There was to be no wake and the funeral was to be the next day. Tara and Willow had taken care of the obituary. Dawn sat down and talked with Buffy, but the conversation seemed forced and uneasy. Dawn wondered when it would be alright to be normal again. The only person who comforted her as of late couldn't be there for her during the funeral since it would be during the day. She just wanted to be with him.  
  
The funeral came too quickly. Dawn couldn't bear to see her mother put in the ground and only wanted to run into Spike's arms. She knew that was impossible, but also knew that Spike would have given anything to be with her now as well. Buffy stayed before the grave for a long time and showed no signs of moving. Dawn wanted to leave. She didn't want to remember her mom this way. She put her hand on Buffy's shoulder.  
  
"Buffy, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll meet you back home." Buffy didn't really seem to hear her, but merely nodded and Dawn was on her way. She crossed the graveyard onto the far side where Spike's crypt was located. She was used to entering the tomb now and didn't get a chill anymore when opening the door. Spike was already waiting to comfort her. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: Busy Busy day because of Graduation practice and Honors Convocation, but I got a bunch of awards so I felt like I wanted to post the long chapter I mentioned yesterday.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: Glad you enjoyed the fluffiness...this chapter though not so much with the fluff. A little of the powers though...  
  
Manda: Thanks for the review. I hope you like this chapter.  
  
Now on with Chapter Ten...  
  
A few weeks passed and it seemed like things got back to normal a bit too quickly. Buffy was being much more protective of Dawn and had even started asking the Scoobies to baby-sit the sixteen-year-old. Dawn protested almost every time and complained to Spike who promptly volunteered to help with Dawn. Dawn, therefore, made it clear to Buffy that she trusted Spike and would feel safe with him. Buffy wasn't sure what to make of this key business and feared the other Scoobies would be too quick to slip up. So while the others were off researching and patrolling, Spike and Dawn stayed at the Summers' house.  
  
"You ready, love?" Dawn took a deep breath. She and Spike had been working on Dawn's apparent telepathic power. Spike had witnessed her move things more times at this point, but he knew she couldn't control it. He had seen enough gypsies and witches over the years to know how to help her. Dawn sat on the floor surrounded by a few candles. Spike placed a rose in front of her within the ring of candles.  
  
"I'm ready." Dawn closed her eyes continuing her deep breathing.  
  
"Alright, then. I want you to concentrate on the rose and moving it. Once you have it in the air remove the petals one at a time. I know you can do this." Spike reassured her. Her power seemed to be growing. Spike could sense it when he was with her. Dawn didn't need an incantation or a spell. She just had to use that power. Dawn sat for a few minutes, but nothing happened.  
  
"Spike, I can't do this. I'm not like Willow or Tara. I don't have these kinds of powers." Dawn said out of frustration. She opened her eyes and looked up to Spike who walked over and knelt beside her.  
  
"You're right about one thing, Bit. You don't have power like Red or Glinda. You are much more powerful." Dawn rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, love. I can feel it when you walk in a room or when I touch you. You don't need magic. This is a part of you." Dawn looked into his eyes and nodded closing her eyes once more to try again.  
  
Dawn thought about moving the rose and about what Spike had said. Suddenly, she felt something inside of her that she had never felt before. It was strong and it was as if some invisible force came from inside her and moved the flower for her. Dawn opened her eyes slowly to see the rose suspended in mid-air. Spike stood on the side watching with a proud smile on his face. Dawn focused on that force and used it to pluck the petals. When she was finished, she pulled the force back within her and let the stem fall with it.  
  
"I told you that you had the power in you. Big Bad knows these things." Spike moved into the ring of candles and sat in front of her. He put his hand on her cheek and leaned in to kiss her.  
  
"I just don't understand why I can do this." Spike didn't know what to say this time.  
  
"I don't either, but we'll figure it out." Dawn glanced at the clock.  
  
"We better move all of this stuff before Buffy gets back." She stood up and turned the lights on as Spike blew out the candles. Dawn looked a little perplexed once they were finished putting everything away. Spike grabbed her around her waist kissing her passionately.  
  
"Pet, what's the matter?" Dawn shrugged. "Thought I already told you 'bout vampires knowing when you're lying." Dawn smiled a little. "There's nothing wrong with you, Niblet, if that's what you're thinking." Spike wrapped his arms around her. Dawn held back tears, but relaxed into his embrace until the door creaked open. She pushed Spike away and almost thought she saw hurt on his face.  
  
"Hey, Dawnie!" Buffy called as she walked in. Dawn had dashed so that she was sitting on the couch by this point. She waved without turning around insuring that any signs of tears were gone. "Thanks for watching her, Spike." Buffy forced a few pleasantries with him. Spike began to move toward the door still listening to the sisters talking. "So how was your day?"  
  
"Nothing special."  
  
"Did you find a date yet?" Dawn cringed knowing Spike was still in the room. She shook her head. "Well, you can always go to the prom with a group of friends or something."  
  
"I don't even know if I'm going to go at all...I mean the money..."  
  
"I already spoke with Dad and he'll send you whatever you need. I think you should go." Buffy wanted Dawn to have a normal high school life.  
  
"I'll think about it." Spike stealthily left the room after that and decided that he would ask Dawn about this whole thing tomorrow.  
  
Dawn headed for Spike's crypt after school. He was sleeping so she lay down next to him and kissed him gently. "Niblet, you certainly know how to wake a man up." He said with a devilish smile before grasping her lips in another kiss. Spike propped himself on his elbows while Dawn rested her head on one hand facing him. "Wanna ask you something."  
  
"Anything." Dawn grinned at him.  
  
"What was Buffy on about yesterday?" Dawn furrowed her brow in confusion. "About the prom?" Dawn shrugged. Spike sat up and pulled on his shirt. He ran his hand through his hair.  
  
"Spike, it's no big. It's stupid. Besides there's always another one next year." She moved so that she was sitting on the same side of the bed as him. Spike brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.  
  
"I don't want you to do this."  
  
"What?" Dawn was still confused.  
  
"Not do things because I can't go. I don't want you to live in the darkness." Spike cringed as the next thought came to his head. "Bloody hell. This is going to turn out exactly like them, innit?"  
  
"Spike, what are you talking about now?!" Dawn was starting to get angry.  
  
"Them! Angelus and Buffy! Things aren't going to end well. Why do you think they fell apart? Peaches couldn't be with Buffy, not the way she deserved to be loved." He paused. "And I can't be with you the way you deserve to be loved." Spike stormed out of the room and up to the top level of the crypt. Dawn was a little shocked, but followed a few moments later.  
  
"It doesn't matter what happened with them! We aren't them! You keep saying that I deserve to be loved and then take it away!" Dawn shouted too hurt to even cry. Spike walked over to Dawn and grabbed her by the arm pulling her along pushing through the twinge of pain he was beginning to feel in his head telling himself that he didn't intend to hurt her.  
  
"Look!" He threw the door open and revealed the daylight. "I can't even take you out there. I can't go in the light with you. I live in the dark and couldn't leave if I wanted to." Spike left her standing there moving toward one of the coffins on the far side of the crypt. Dawn heard the sound of stone breaking and then smelled flesh burning.  
  
"What are you doing?" Dawn asked as he walked closer and closer to her.  
  
"How about this? Do you see this?" Spike pressed on without really answering Dawn. "God knows it; your sister bloody well knows it, why don't you know it! I'm evil, Dawn. I've done horrible things to people including my own family and friends. I don't deserve you because I am..."Spike choked slightly on the words. "Beneath you." Spike threw the cross down on the ground its mark imbedded in his skin.  
  
"Buffy was right. You can't love without a soul. You love pain." Dawn broke into sobs. "If you loved me you wouldn't say this." Spike reached for a stake that had somehow ended up on his floor.  
  
"You know, sometimes I wish your big sis would just bloody well get on with it. Stake me good and proper. Because looking at you, seeing what I shouldn't touch kills me more everyday. I might as well be dust." Spike held the stake above his heart and then threw it at Dawn who surprisingly caught it. "Hell can't hurt as much as being love's bitch. Why don't you do what Buffy never could?" Spike was enraged inches away from Dawn. She was a little frightened by him, by his anger.  
  
"Because I love you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and burst out the door. Spike collapsed to the ground tears in his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he cried. Dawn collapsed on her bed and Buffy heard her slam the door, but assumed it was with her hands. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I just finished writing the entire story, but don't worry there is much much much more to come. I also plan to write a sequel and if you see how it ends you'll probably want one, but my reviews have started stopping. Please keep reviewing...Reviews give me the energy to post chapters....  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: My faithful reviewer and only reviewer for chapter ten! Thanks for you review. I know it was a bit angsty, but I think it was necessary...Things will get better I promise!!  
  
Now on with Chapter 11

* * *

"Dawnie, is something the matter?" Buffy knocked on the door.  
  
"No, I'm fine..." Buffy opened the door. "I said I was fine." Buffy saw her blood shot eyes and tearstained cheeks and knew almost immediately that it was a guy.  
  
"Please, tell me." She sat down on the edge of Dawn's bed stroking her back.  
  
"I can't because...I don't want you to hurt him." Buffy laughed softly.  
  
"I would never hurt a teenage boy."  
  
"This isn't about a teenage boy." Buffy looked a little confused unsure about whom Dawn was talking about. "Please, listen to everything before you freak out like I know you will. And try to be my sister not the Slayer"  
  
"Ok, Dawn." Buffy said very seriously and sincerely.  
  
"I've been seeing someone for a while, since the night you hurt my arm. He was really wonderful to me and he never hurt me or tried to take advantage of me or anything like that."  
  
"I don't understand. He sounds like a nice guy and I thought you said it wasn't about a boy." Dawn looked away from Buffy.  
  
"I said it wasn't about a teenage boy...It's Spike." Buffy was about to explode. "Buffy I told you not to freak out until I was done and you said he sounded like a great guy."  
  
"Well, that was before..." Dawn gave her a look. "Alright go on."  
  
"He heard you talking about the whole prom thing and we had a fight."  
  
"Because you want to go to the prom?" Buffy wondered if Spike really expected Dawn to not do things because of him.  
  
"No, because I don't want to go..."Buffy's mouth formed a silent o. "He says that I should be able to go in the light and we had a big fight and- and he told me that he was beneath me..." Buffy was surprised that Spike could ever possibly say such things and then remembered when Angel had told her similar things, but Spike wasn't Angel. Spike didn't have a soul. Buffy took a deep breath. Dawn was crying again.  
  
"Dawn, this is a whole lot to take in. The Slayer part of me really wants to tell you that Spike doesn't have a soul and that he can't love. The sister part of me, though, remembers what it was like to love someone who didn't think they deserved you. I was your age when I started seeing Angel and I'm not even going to compare Spike and Angel because I don't think Spike is like Angel...he doesn't have a soul..."Dawn almost went to protest. "But he hasn't hurt you, physically anyway. I want you to be careful Dawnie and if you two work this out then you have to tell me when you're going to see him. I don't want you to sneak out. I can't protect you if I don't know where you are."  
  
"Thanks Buffy, but I don't think we can work things out." Buffy hugged Dawn.  
  
"It'll be alright. I have to go patrol."  
  
"You won't go near him will you?"  
  
"I won't touch him, I promise." Buffy hugged Dawn once more and then headed for the door. A few minutes later Buffy was standing in front of Spike's crypt and a moment later burst in the door. 


	12. Chapter Tweleve

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: This chapter is pretty interesting. I start messing more with the Key mythology...hope you like it. My reviews picked up a bit so I'm really happy. Keep it up because I really like to know that there are people reading.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: The Angel/Spike connection will come in to play in an even bigger way in chapters to come. I also like the whole Buffy going right to Spike, but she did choose her words very carefully...  
  
Kalei: I'm glad you like the fic thanks for the review  
  
Candi: Thank you for your review it was very nice!! I'm glad you like it. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the fic!!  
  
MeganG45: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like the fic.  
  
Now on with Chapter 12

* * *

"God, Slayer don't you ever knock." Spike growled from his couch. "Well, let's get on with it then. I'm in no mood for this." Buffy just stood there. "C'mon!" Spike wanted a fight after what had happened with Dawn.  
  
"I'm not here to fight you. I wanted to talk." Spike looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I know I'm pretty surprised myself. This is about Dawn." Spike stiffened, but didn't say anything. "She told me everything."  
  
"So why aren't you beating me to a bloody pulp?" Spike asked.  
  
"I trust Dawn and Dawn trusts you. This doesn't mean that if you ever hurt her in any physical way that I won't come back and dust you, but Dawn just lost her mother and I think killing you would kill her. And...She told me what you said about not deserving her. I agree that you don't, but she seems to think differently. I'm going to be patrolling for a while then research and Dawn's alone at the house." Buffy turned away without saying another word and closed the crypt's door.  
  
Spike walked slowly across the graveyard. He didn't know what to say to Dawn. This was so different for him, but then everything had been different lately. It all started with the chip and he'd started working with the Scoobies because he couldn't do anything else. Then there was Dawn and she made him feel like a man not a monster. She gave him hope that he was more than William the Bloody. He knew vampires could love and had thought that he had loved, but nothing compared to the way he felt about Dawn. Spike stopped quickly at a store.  
  
Dawn was flipping past channels on the television having moved to the living room. She stopped at the end of Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts and Richard Gere finally get together. "That would never happen in real life." She grumbled as the doorbell rang. Dawn didn't usually answer the door at night given that she lived on a hellmouth, but she decided to go look and see who it was. If it was a vamp it wouldn't be able to come in and she could always use her new found powers to ward a demony thing out.  
  
"Hey, Niblet." Dawn couldn't believe that Spike was standing on the other side of the door. She didn't say anything, but walked away leaving the door open. He walked in and wasn't sure what to say. "Love, I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you that's why I said all those things in the first place. My God, Dawn, I love you." Dawn kept her back to him. "Well, I guess I know how you feel." He threw a bouquet of roses down on the sofa.  
  
Dawn turned around once he was gone and nearly gasped when she saw the roses lying strewn on the sofa. Dawn looked at the still open door and rushed after him. "Spike! Wait!" She yelled after Spike who turned around slowly. "Please don't leave me." She wrapped her arms around him. "I was mad at you. I didn't stop loving you. I never could." Dawn pressed her head on his strong chest. "But when I saw the cross in your hand and you just let it burn you...then you threw the stake at me...I was just so angry."  
  
"I know. I didn't want to do any of it, but you had to see and hear some of it. I meant what I said. I don't deserve you and I am evil, but when I'm with you I'm something better. More a man than a monster." Spike kissed Dawn passionately and she kissed him back. "Bit, let's go back then. Have a semi-normal date and talk." They turned back toward the house when a man approached. Spike held Dawn close to his side defensively.  
  
"There's nothing there...no data....you don't belong...you aren't real...so bright..." Dawn shuddered against Spike. The man shuffled past obviously a lunatic. Dawn was shaking badly. As Spike resumed walking, Dawn took a few steps and stumbled.  
  
"Come here." Spike said taking her up into his arms carrying her with ease.  
  
"Why does this keep happening? I'm so scared."  
  
"He was just a bleeding lunatic, love. Don't pay attention to him."  
  
"It isn't just that. This happens a lot and this time it was different." Spike looked at her with concern. "I felt different. Like a part of that guy had power over me and I couldn't move. It was something bad, but just a trace of it."  
  
"We'll find out what it is. I promise." Spike carried her into the house and lay her down on the sofa pushing the forgotten flowers out of the way. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Better now that that guy is gone. I'll have to tell Buffy about this. Maybe she could figure this out or maybe Willow or Tara. This seems kind of magic related." Spike knelt down in front of the sofa. "I told Buffy about us. She nearly flipped, but she understands I think. I mean Angel and all...I can't say that she likes the idea, but she won't stop us."  
  
"As long as I can see you and I'm not all dusty then I don't care, niblet."  
  
"I told her not to dust you. I couldn't handle that...Ever." Dawn turned on to her side and kissed him.  
  
The door opened and Buffy came in to see Dawn and Spike in the middle of their kiss. She cleared her throat. Dawn shot up still a little woozy from the encounter with the man on top of the kiss. "Buffy...Me and Spike were just umm..." 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: Ahhh!! I can't believe I waited so long to update. I got distracted by getting ready for my big dance exhibition which was today...I hope interest is still out there (hint, review, hint)  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: I personally never understood why Buffy wasn't more sister like sometimes...  
  
Darklights: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like the story.  
  
Lindsay: Angel will make an appearance, but not necessarily to seduce Buffy in anyway...  
  
JenaMariano: Don't think for a second that Buffy won't have some serious issues in the near future involving Spike and Dawn, but she helped them out this time because I don't want to Buffy bash...I like Buffy...  
  
Now on with Chapter 13

* * *

"Please, I saw...don't need details." Dawn nodded and Spike stood up. "Anything else happen tonight?" Dawn bit her lower lip unsure whether to tell her not.  
  
"Go on, love." Spike prompted her and Buffy shot him a look before looking back at Dawn.  
  
"We were outside and this crazy guy started saying things about me not being real...It happened before even once with Mom...And I felt all weird after he left like weak or something..." Buffy pursed her lips not sure whether or not to tell her. "There's more too. I can do things...With my mind...Like move things. Spike's been helping me, but I don't really know what's going on..." Buffy nodded.  
  
"I know." Buffy sighed. "I love you, Dawnie. You are my sister. Never forget that..."  
  
"Buffy, tell me what you know...I have to know." Dawn looked at Buffy seriously. "Buffy!" Dawn nearly screamed.  
  
"There were these monks...Dagon Monks...They protected the Key from this thing called Glorificus...We don't know much about her or the Key except that she is strong and that the Key is energy that the monks could mold into other things so they could hide it..." Buffy paused, but Dawn's eyes were pleading with her to continue. "They made it into a person and sent it to the Slayer as a...Sister." Dawn closed her eyes.  
  
"I'm not real? My whole life...it never happened." Dawn tried to understand what this all meant. Spike sat down next to her trying to comfort her.  
  
"Bit, it doesn't matter." Dawn glared at him as did Buffy. "I mean this is real..." He kissed her. "And as long as it was real to you then it doesn't matter. You are special and an amazing young woman no matter how you got to be that way." Spike didn't know if anything could make this better, but he had to try.  
  
"Spike's right...Wow there are two words I never thought would ever appear in the same phrase..." Even Dawn had to smile a little at that comment. "I remember everything you've done so does everyone else. All of my memories are real to me...You are my sister."  
  
"I just don't understand...What am I?" Buffy shook her head.  
  
"We don't know yet, but we'll find out. We'll find out everything we can. Me and the gang have been doing nothing, but trying to find out since I was told all of this. Now that you know, we may be able to figure more things out about what you can do." Dawn seemed too calm. Spike kept his arm around her and Buffy was letting it slide for now. "Dawnie, I know you probably don't understand all of this...I don't either. I'm going to go call Giles and fill him in." Buffy hugged Dawn tightly.  
  
"Spike, there's so many questions that I don't know the answers to. I always wanted to be like Buffy. Someone special, but now I'm not a someone I'm a something. I'm not even human. Originally, anyway."  
  
"Well I was and I got over it. Seems to me it doesn't matter how you start out." Spike pushed her hair behind her ear.  
  
"What if I'm something evil?" Spike glanced down at his hand which still had the burn mark from the cross  
  
"I'm something evil and I'm doing ok. I don't think you could possibly be something evil anyway. You do too much good." Dawn reached for Spike's burnt hand and kissed the burn mark.  
  
"I don't think you are either. Big Bad, of course, but not evil. I love you, Will." Dawn kissed his cheek warmly still holding his hand. Buffy heard most of the exchange and saw some of it from the hallway. She was torn between wanting to kill him and wanting to thank him for taking care of Dawn.  
  
"Dawnie, we're going to meet Giles at the Magic Box tomorrow morning. He, Willow and Tara might want you to show them the moving thingy you mentioned and talk about that fainty thing you mentioned. We'll give you more details tomorrow to if you want them." Dawn nodded. She felt trapped and just wanted to run out of the room.  
  
"I got to ask Big Sis something in private, pet. We'll be right back." Dawn had been looking away and Spike motioned with his eyes for Buffy to follow him into the hall.  
  
"What is it, Spike?" Buffy said a little angrily.  
  
"Shh...keep it down, Slayer, my God. Dawn was looking all forward to a normal date that I promised her and then things went about nine different kinds of insane. I can sense her nervousness and fear. All I want is to take her out for a while. I can take care of her." Buffy looked at him for a long time.  
  
"I think your getting the impression that I'm alright with the whole you and Dawn thing. I'm really not. But I can't hurt Dawn anymore right now. Given the circumstances, I guess I can look away a little bit. Go ahead. If you do anything to or with her, you will have to answer to me." Buffy pushed him against the wall.  
  
"Bloody hell, Slayer. I get your message and I'm not going to hurt her which I guess includes not crossing paths with you. We called a bloody truce once before. Can we do it again?" Spike looked at her and put his hand out.  
  
"Only until all of this stuff gets sorted out...And all bets are off if you hurt her in anyway not just physically. She cries way too much. It better stop!" Buffy shook his hand squeezing it more tightly than necessary before heading back to Dawn.  
  
"I really don't like being talked about behind my back." Dawn said sullenly.  
  
"I know, but I had nothing to do with it. This is all him." Buffy said motioning toward Spike.  
  
"'S not my doing. I just thought you might like to go out on that normal date I mentioned earlier." Spike tried not to grin at her, but he couldn't help it especially when Dawn's face brightened. "Let's go then." Dawn looked at Buffy who nodded her consent. Dawn stood up and followed Spike out the door. "I thought you might want to get out of there for a while."  
  
"Thanks, but I don't know that a date with me is going to be very fun. I can't stop thinking about it. I want to know more."  
  
"I know, love, but you'll find all that out tomorrow. For right now, just be Dawn Summers out with her boyfriend." Spike said trying not to make it sound like a big deal.  
  
"I'll try. So are we going to your crypt?" Spike stopped.  
  
"Hadn't really thought about it. If that's where you want to go then..."  
  
"That's where I want to go." Dawn smiled.

Please review my lovely readers and also check out a one shot Spawn fic I wrote when I couldn't sleep one night. It's called Life Goes On and it is sadly lacking in reviews ;(


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I finished this story a while back and have been posting it slowly so that people will have time to read a few chapters at a time and keep up with the feedback! Anyway some major climatic events and pay offs are coming up so please keep R&R ing!! Also, I have three other stories I am working on and I would appreciate feedback on which you guys would like to see once this story is done. One is a Spillow, one is a Spuffy(all human, borrowed plot) and one is a WillowGiles pairing. So tell me if you have any feelings about this. Eventually I'll post them all. There will be a sequel but I'm still working it out (you'll see why when the end is finally posted).  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: The aliens did let me go lol j/k. Thanks for reviewing again! And everyone should go check out Karma's stories!! They're among my favorites especially her Buffy Summers Super Slayer story!!  
  
JenaMariano: Major things are coming and a new power will make an appearance here!!  
  
Nytebrayker: I'm glad you like the story and the spawniegoodness!!  
  
Bloodshedbaby1: I'm glad you like it and Buffy's reaction. I didn't want to Buffy bash!  
  
MeganG4: Thanks for the review.  
  
Michelle R: Sill plenty to come and it will! This story is seventy one pages in Microsoft word so it will be a while before it stops lol.  
  
Now on with Chapter 14

* * *

Once inside the crypt, Dawn took Spike's hand and led him downstairs. Spike was surprised at how he let her lead him. She walked him over to the bed and they sat down across from each other for a moment before she kissed him. Spike countered with more kisses and soon they were lying on the bed.  
  
"Niblet, I don't think we should do this, tonight. I want you to be happy and comfortable and ready when I make love to you." Spike was surprised by his choice of words, but he knew they were true. It wouldn't be sex or some other vulgar parlance for what he would do with her.  
  
"I guess your right. Waiting is good. I just want to know that I'm real, know that I'm human." Dawn said with distance in her voice.  
  
"Believe me, you are human. I can tell. Demons and vampires have signatures that are very distinct. You aren't either. I can smell your blood from where I'm sitting and it's human." Thinking about it made Spike's senses go into overdrive. "And blood is what makes you alive, makes you human." Spike could feel himself being pulled by his demon and the bloodlust.  
  
"Make me believe it." Dawn said moving close to Spike moving her shirt so that her throat was better exposed. "Please, I know from Buffy and Angel that drinking from a human without killing them is a very sensual act for vamps, probably more so than sex. Right now, I want to be with you that way. I want to give you something that will keep you alive. That would prove to me that I'm not evil." Dawn's lower lip was trembling, but there was resolve in her eyes.  
  
"I can never give back what I would take from you. I want it, God I want it, but are you sure?" Spike asked.  
  
"Never more sure. I've thought about it before. It isn't like a new revelation because of tonight. You tasted me the other day, just a little different circumstance. I won't yell or anything and you don't want to hurt me so the chip won't go off. Make me feel..." Spike pulled her closer so moving his mouth down to her bared neck. He kissed it and licked it with his tongue savoring the taste of her. He nipped at her neck with his blunt teeth while he thought about it. He had licked the blood from her finger, but that wasn't the same as biting her and a neck wound wouldn't close as quickly as that did.  
  
Spike kissed up and down her jaw line again and again turning the situation over in his mind. The longer he kissed the closer the demon rose to the surface. Finally, he shifted into game face scratching his fangs against her skin to see her reaction. Dawn stiffened, but not out of pain. This was out of pleasure and anticipation. Spike applied the force required for his fangs to go deeply into her neck. He was gentle, but Dawn still felt her breath catch as the cold enamel of his fangs became imbedded in her skin and she felt the acute pinch of his fangs.  
  
"Not too late to stop, Bit." Spike said pulling back for a moment.  
  
"No...keep going." Spike began to suck her blood out of the puncture wounds slowly stopping every once and awhile to just savor her. Dawn let an audible moan and her entire body relaxed. Spike pulled back still in game face licking the last traces from his teeth.  
  
"Definitely human, definitely good." Spike smirked on the last word shifting back.  
  
"That was...wow." Spike smiled at Dawn.  
  
"I'm glad." They fell silent for a few minutes. Spike moved to her side still holding her body.  
  
_ Thank God she doesn't hate me._  
  
"Spike did you just say something?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No..." Spike said skeptically.  
  
"You didn't just say, 'Thank God she doesn't hate me?'"  
  
"I—I...didn't say it love...I thought it."

* * *

A/N: So reveiws are nice and be sure to include a comment about which story you'd want to see next!! 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I love all my readers and your great about feedback so if anyone would like to give me feedback on which WIP I plan on posting next let me know! Your choices are a Spillow story that involves a trip to New York, smoochies in sue. Another is a Spuffy that follows a plot line similar to When Harry met Sally and obviously all human. The third is a WillowGiles romance set in Season four. So yeah they'll all be posted eventually, but one will be posted while I'm writing the sequel to this. Just put a little ps on your reviews as to which sounds best.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: Glad you liked the shoutout...I'm being overzealous today and decided what the hell...So since I've been delayed so often by those evil bunnies here's a second chapter. The telepathy thing will be explained in detail in the coming chapters. No he didn't claim Dawn...just a taste lol!  
  
JenaMariano: I'm glad you like the powers. You may notice that they aren't really, really developed, but there is a reason for this. Major, major things to come and probably a sequel so I do intend to delve into the powers in great detail in the sequel if not in this story as it stands now.  
  
Ian: I'm assuming that smiley was a good thing so yay!! Glad you like it...  
  
Michelle R: Glad you like it!!  
  
Here's Chapter Fifteen!!

* * *

_ Dawn, can you hear me?  
  
Yeah. So what does this mean?_  
  
I have no idea, but it must have something to do with you being the key and the fact that I drank from you. Spike let go of her running his hand from his hair.  
  
"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I mean I can't like just hear your thoughts. I mean right now I'm getting nothing, but it was like a conversation. We'll have to ask them tomorrow. And I don't hate you." Dawn finished with a smile. Spike looked at her neck. The wound was neat and Dawn's shirt collar easily hid it. Buffy would find out though when the telepathy thing was brought up. "All of this is the last thing I need right now!" Dawn sighed out of frustration  
  
"I know, pet, what with your mom and this key business. I don't know how you're even able to handle this."  
  
"Yeah and school is just a big added bonus." Spike chuckled softly. With everything she was going through, Dawn was having the most trouble with school. "Thanks...I guess you are right, though. It is kind of funny. It's just this total slutbomb Kirsty is making my school life miserable. She told everyone that I was some kind of freak and all this other crap."  
  
"Hmm..." Spike said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. It's just I wonder what's bothering you more now this sodding key business or high school. Guess you can take your bloody pick, huh?"  
  
"Well, I know what isn't screwing me up." Dawn smiled seductively and kissed him hotly on the mouth. Spike hoped she was right and that they would last. Dawn wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
_Wish I could stay here forever.  
  
I'm not going anywhere, love, and I'm not getting any older.  
_  
Spike leaned back so he was sitting with his back resting on the headboard and Dawn moved onto his lap. Spike wrapped her tight in his arms. _My Dawn_. He kissed the wound he had made earlier.  
  
_My William._ She turned so that she was facing him looking into those crystal blue eyes. Dawn ran her fingers into his hair looking at his face as if she were memorizing it.  
  
The next morning, Buffy woke Dawn up. They hadn't spoken the previous night when Spike brought her home near sunrise. The walk to the Magic Box was almost just as silent. "I told Spike to meet us there. He'll take the sewers." Dawn said as they walked along. "He needs to be there."  
  
"Are you going to tell them?" Buffy asked almost embarrassed at the thought of her friends knowing what her little sister was up to.  
  
"Well, yeah, I mean we have to tell them." Dawn said partially to herself knowing that the telepathy thing would require that they know. Buffy didn't know about that yet or about Dawn letting Spike bite her. Dawn wondered if she should tell her sister first.  
  
"Dawnie, I just don't understand. Why Spike?" Buffy said stopping outside the Magic Box door.  
  
"Why Angel?" Dawn said before pushing the door open. Spike was already standing near the counter while Giles moved about the shop seeing that everything was in order. The others had yet to arrive. Dawn walked over to Spike and took his hand.  
  
_ Hey, love. Ready for this?  
  
Not even close..._  
  
The bell above the Magic Box door clanged and the voices of the Scoobies were heard laughing and talking. "Hey, Buff, Dawnster...what's up?" Xander said as they all moved toward the research table and took their seats. "And why is Captain Peroxide here?" Spike rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yes, I was wondering the same thing myself? When he came in he said you had asked him to be here." Giles added.  
  
"Actually I think Dawn should answer that question." Buffy looked at Dawn who took a deep breath before beginning.  
  
"Spike is..." Dawn walked over to Spike who put his arm around her. "My boyfriend." A stunned silence filled the room and Xander's mouth actually fell open.  
  
"Umm...Why is he not dust?" Xander said after a good ten minutes of silence.  
  
"Stupid whelp." Spike muttered under his breath. Dawn hit his arm a little "Because I love her!"  
  
"And I love him. Look I know it seems really complicated and it is, I guess, but there are bigger things right now."  
  
"So have you guys had sex yet?" Anya said much to everyone else's chagrin. "What? William the Bloody had quite a reputation back in my demon days. I thought they would have..." Spike had a cocky smirk on his face at the mention of his reputation. Dawn blushed a little.  
  
"Ahn...Please just don't talk anymore." Xander said. Buffy's eyes had moved to glaring at Spike and Dawn. They had better not be sleeping together or Buffy would dust him without question.  
  
"Guys, this has nothing to do with why we're here. And a world of no to Anya's question." Dawn said. "This is about me being the key." The room grew silent again knowing that this was serious.  
  
"Buffy, told you, huh?" Willow said scrunching up her nose a little feeling bad for Dawn. Dawn nodded.  
  
"But that isn't all. I have like powers or something."  
  
"We thought w-we could sense power in you, b-but we weren't sure." Tara said. "W-what are they, Dawn?"  
  
"I can like move things with my mind. I-we..." Spike placed his hands on her shoulders. "Figured out how to like control it so that I don't just fling things across a room." Willow and Tara looked at her almost in awe. They had tried to master something similar many times, but found it almost impossible.  
  
"Dawn, if you can really control it then that is...wow." Willow said and everyone turned to look at her. "Controlling telepathic ability even if it's a natural ability can be difficult...You'll have to show me and Tara later." Willow tried not to sound overly excited. Dawn nodded before continuing.  
  
"There's more, though...Crazy people like know that I'm not a person." She recounted the things various lunatics had said to her. "Then last night it was as if something about them, something on them and it made me really weak like couldn't walk weak. Spike had to carry me back to the house I was that weak."  
  
"What did it feel like?" Giles asked already in research mode looking for details.  
  
"There was a trace of something bad on him and like that trace had power over me." They exchanged glances. "What? You know something."  
  
"Well, Dawn, you see Glory gets her strength from using the energy found in one's brain. When she...feeds from someone she leaves them insane. I think that that trace that you describe is Glory's signature and I think she might have power over you to make you feel weak." He turned to the Schoobies. "The same way that the Dagon sphere has power over Glory. They counter each other."  
  
"That means that the Dawnster is like the Luke Skywalker to Glory's Darth Vadar." Xander said coming to the same conclusion as the others.  
  
"Yes, I believe so. Dawn is a force of good and Glory is a force of evil." Dawn smiled a little glad to know that she in and of herself was not evil. "The question remains, though, as to what Glory intends to do with Dawn."  
  
"Dawnie, have you told us absolutely everything that you can think of?" Buffy asked her sister.  
  
"Actually, there's one more thing. Spike and I since last night have a telepathic link."

* * *

A/N: Awesome response to the last chapter in such a short time. Keep it up and so will I!!


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Title: Only Love  
  
Distribution: If you would like to distribute my fic please ask. I would be really honored  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine...it belongs to many other people including Joss!  
  
Pairings: Very clearly Spawn so please don't post flames because of the pairing  
  
A/N: I love all my readers and your great about feedback so if anyone would like to give me feedback on which WIP I plan on posting next let me know! Your choices are a Spillow story that involves a trip to New York, smoochies in sue. Another is a Spuffy that follows a plot line similar to When Harry met Sally and obviously all human. The third is a WillowGiles romance set in Season four, which will include a brief appearance by Angelus (Some people love stories that involve Angelus so I wanted to throw that out there). So yeah they'll all be posted eventually, but one will be posted while I'm writing the sequel to this. Just put a little p.s. on your reviews as to which sounds best.  
  
Thanks To:  
  
Karmawiccan: Thanks for the review and for the feedback to my mini poll...Hopefully that will work out well and I'll post the spillow one next since no one else is replying. I'm sure Miss Edith will agree!!  
  
Michelle R: I'm really glad you like the story. It means a lot to get good feedback...  
  
JenaMariano: I thought you'd like that twist...Wait till the next one!  
  
Lindsay: Hopefully this chapter won't disappoint...Xander's emotion is more fully displayed in the next chapter...But you'll see.  
  
The Vampire Story Hunter: Thanks for the feedback...It is greatly appreciated...  
  
Here's Chapter Sixteen

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"Only s-since last night?" Tara asked wondering what would have created such a link.  
  
"Yeah and it isn't constant just sometimes."  
  
"Is there anything like consistent about the times when it happens? Usually creatures with that kind of link need something to be present or something to happen. Ya know like physical contact or..."Anya stopped pretty sure that she had figured it out and was afraid to say it now.  
  
"Ahn, what else?"  
  
"Blood exchange." Giles finished knowing that that was likely what Anya was thinking. Buffy stood up and walked over to Dawn and Spike.  
  
"Training room. Now!" She said quietly, but nevertheless acidic. Dawn and Spike exchanged glances and then followed her into the training room. They stood in the darkest corner so that Spike was safe from the sun. Of course that wouldn't protect him from Buffy. "What the hell happened last night? Last time I checked a normal date didn't consist of the guy drinking the girl's blood!"  
  
"Buffy, I was worried that I wasn't human that I was like a demon. I needed to know that I was human and that I had human blood so I asked him to drink from me. I'm fine nothing bad happened."  
  
"I'm not mad at you, but Spike took total advantage of you..."  
  
"Oi, Slayer, I'm right here and I didn't take advantage of her. I wouldn't do that to her. Why do you have such a bloody hard time understanding that I'm not trying to hurt her or you?" Spike didn't expect an answer, but he knew that if Buffy and the Scoobies made Dawn feel bad enough she would start to believe them.  
  
"He's right. Spike didn't and he wouldn't take advantage of me when I was hurting or scared. He's my champion." Buffy was taken back by her choice of words. Her mind was pulled back to the monk that said they sent the key to a champion who would love and protect her.  
  
"What did you just say?"  
  
"I said that Spike is my champion." Buffy took in a sharp breath. It couldn't be that Spike was the champion that the monk spoke of. Buffy just assumed it was her. Why would they choose Spike? "Go back out there. I'll be there in a minute." Buffy needed a second to think about this and the others needed to talk to them more about the whole telepathy thing.  
  
"I think it's safe to say that the blood exchange brought on the telepathy, but you still said it isn't all the time. Is there anything else that you can tell us about when it happens?" Dawn and Spike both thought for a long time. Dawn wasn't aware of anything that happened at all of the different times, but Spike was suddenly struck by what it might be as the memories flashed through his mind.  
  
"We were always touching...holding hands, hugging, kissing...then it would stop if we weren't." Spike decided to do his own experiment. He said Dawn's name in his mind a few times and then grabbed her hand.  
  
_ Dawn, can you hear me?  
  
Loud and clear. Guess you were right.  
_  
Dawn's eyes met his and the others could clearly tell he had said something to her. He dropped her hand. Buffy came out of the training room looking weary. "The monks must have put this capacity into Dawn for a reason." Dawn flinched as Giles referred to her as something that had been built. "The question is why?"  
  
"I think I know." Buffy finally spoke up. "The monk said that they sent the key to the Slayer as a sister and to a champion to love and protect. Spike's her champion. They were..."Buffy stumbled over her words. "Meant to be together." Dawn's eyes met Spike's again.  
  
"I could have told you that." Dawn said with a smile still looking at Spike. The Scoobies all seemed rather uncomfortable with the idea that Dawn and Spike were a couple. Spike walked over to Dawn closing the distance between them and kissed her for a long moment. Buffy looked away almost immediately suppressing her anger. The others sat silently exchanging looks.  
  
Spike sat down next to Dawn holding her hand under the table. They tried to work out their own issues while the group looked at each other and tried to rationalize the whole thing.  
  
_ It'll be okay, love. They'll get over it.  
  
I hope so. I couldn't take it if they didn't. I mean I don't want them to do something to you.  
  
They won't. Big Bad can still take care of himself. I'll do anything for you, to take care of you.  
  
You look tired. You could probably go if you wanted to. I know daytime isn't exactly your time of day.  
  
I can't protect you if I'm not here, Niblet.  
  
Can't protect me if you haven't slept either._

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A/N: The next couple of chapters coming up are among my favorites so review because I badly want to post more!!! 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

A/N:Hey all of my faithful readers! I am so sorry that this chapter has been on hold so long! I feel awful but my computer crashed for two months. I hope some of you are still wanting to read this!! Thank you so much for reading up to this point and I'll be back to personal thank yous on the next chapter (which will not take as long to post)

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"Look, if you little Scoobies don't have anything to say about anything other than the fact that me and Dawn here are a couple then I'm going to head out."

"You're just going to leave? So much for the Evil Dead's profession of love." Xander said.

"Hello, I'm a vampire and it's the middle of the day."

"Xander, I told him to leave! Besides you really aren't covering any new information. You know what I'm not going to sit here and listen to this." Dawn stood up and walked out the door. Spike wished he could follow her, but he knew he couldn't. Dawn knew he couldn't follow her, too, but she wished someone would have. Someone such as Buffy.

"Let's keep researching. Give her time to calm down." Spike just sat there waiting to see if Dawn would come back. "Spike, either make yourself useful or get out." Buffy yelled at him taking her anger at Dawn out on everyone else.

"Yeah, yeah, Slayer, I'm going. You know that if I could have gone after her I would have. What's your excuse?" Spike disappeared into the back and then into the sewers. He headed back to his crypt knowing that Dawn would go there if she wanted him.

Things at the Magic Box remained heated. Buffy was pacing back and forth trying to figure out what to do with Dawn and Spike. "Something has to be done about Spike. I don't trust him and if he bit Dawn once he could again. The chip doesn't even matter if he isn't causing her pain and Dawn is so confused that she probably doesn't realize what she's doing." The others basically agreed with Buffy, but didn't know what she wanted to do. "We have to make it so he can't hurt her or anyone else."

"His soul." Anya said causing everyone to look at her for an explanation. "Xander told me that Willow re-ensouled Angel. Couldn't you do the same thing to Spike?"

"I could do it, Buffy. I could do it in a few hours if Giles has the supplies I need." Willow was quiet for a moment, but then added to her statement. "But if he and Dawn were ever to...you know...perfect happiness, we would have a problem as big as Angelus. He wouldn't even be Spike the way he is now. He'd probably be William the Bloody bad."

"I wouldn't care if it didn't have implications involving Dawn. I mean he still has an open invitation into our house. Even if we revoked it, I'm pretty sure Dawn would let him back in. I let Angel back in enough times." Buffy looked down a little at the mention of Angel and despised the idea of Dawn going through the same thing.

"W-what if W-Willow and I could take that clause o-out?" Tara suggested.

"Is that possible?" Giles said for once not knowing. It seemed that the gypsies would have done that to keep Angel from becoming evil again.

"From what W-willow has told me about the c-curse, that part was made s-solely to punish Angel. W-we could just re-remove that section." Tara felt a blush rise to her cheeks as the Scoobies' eyes looked to her.

"She's right." Anya added again using her long demon knowledge. "Gypsy curses were generally handed out as punishment for a wrong, like Angelus killing the gypsy's daughter. They aren't set in stone, though. Dracula had some gypsy charms put on him and he wasn't bound to a curse."

"Get on it right away then. I want him completely risk-free as soon as possible. As soon as you can do it, do it." Buffy stood up remembering what Spike had said. "I better go check on Dawn."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

A/N: I suck! I left for Christmas break from school and left my discs and drive here! So I couldn't update then and college work sucks lol…But This is not abandoned. It's finished just not all posted. Here's a new chapter more to follow.

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Dawn was sitting on her bed fighting back tears. She wouldn't cry anymore. No matter what the others did or said, Dawn knew that Spike loved her and tears would only show doubt about it. She heard Buffy come in and call her name. "I don't want to talk to you." Dawn called back, but Buffy soon came in her room anyway. "How could you? How could you let them say that stuff to him? How could you say that stuff to him?"

"It isn't as though they were wrong. They were one hundred percent right. He is a vampire an evil one."

"No, he's twice the man that Angel ever was and he doesn't even have a soul."

"You don't know what you're talking about! You didn't know everything that happened. The things Spike did when he first got here and before that."

"What about what Angel did before he got here? You are so quick to put Spike in such a completely different category. Who made him into what he is? Who taught him how to do all those things?" Buffy was hurt by her sister's words.

"You just wait and see how different a soul makes him. Then you'll see."

"What are you talking about?"

"Willow should be just about ready to re-ensoul him anytime now." Dawn jumped off of her bed.

"Are you all insane? It took years for Angel to come to terms with having a soul. The monk told you Spike was needed and you do this. You better go stop her. I have to go to him." Dawn screamed and ran for the door.

Dawn ran to the cemetery and to Spike's crypt praying she would get there first and that Buffy could stop Willow. "Spike? Spike?" Dawn was afraid that he had dusted himself or something.

"Bit, is something the matter?" Spike came up from the lower level. Dawn collapsed into his chest.

"Willow is going to give you your soul back. I told Buffy to stop her, but I don't know if she will. They won't listen to me. I told them you don't need it and that you're better without it." Spike was shocked by very few things after his one hundred plus years, but he couldn't believe it. He knew he wasn't William the Bloody anymore or even the Spike that had first some to Sunnydale, but he couldn't imagine having a soul. He couldn't speak. He just held Dawn in stunned silence.

Dawn heard Spike gasp in pain and looked up to see his eyes flash with something. Immediately she knew that Buffy hadn't stopped Willow and in that moment she hated her sister. Spike fell to his knees after a few minutes with an anguished look on his face. "They're all in there…yelling at me…" Dawn slid to the ground looking at Spike.

"Who? What's happening?" She pleaded with him.

"All of them…everyone I've…They're telling William the Bloody...me to go to hell. All the things I've done. All the people I've hurt. They're all there." Spike dropped his head into his hands closing his eyes.

Buffy ran into the crypt. "I was too late, Dawnie."

"No shit Sherlock." Dawn said still looking at her love.

"I tried to get there in time. I really did…"

"I don't care, Buffy. I don't care that you tried. You shouldn't have even thought of doing this. You've destroyed him and me. I hate you." Dawn spat the words at Buffy. Buffy stood dumbstruck as Dawn spoke to Spike. "Spike, look at me. Tell me you're alright." He looked up and turned his head to the side.

"So bright, she shines. She's effulgent…No it has to rhyme…So good, so innocent…" Spike reached his hand up to Dawn's cheek, but the moment he touched her face he pulled away in fear. "Get away from me. Can't touch you…too much blood…So bright…Have to be in the dark…" Spike broke off covering his face with his hands. Tears lined Dawn's cheeks. "Can we rest now?" Spike almost pleaded with her. Dawn nodded.

"Come on…" Dawn held out her hand for Spike, but he wouldn't take it. "You don't have to touch me, just follow me, okay." Spike nodded unsure of himself. Dawn took him down to the bed and stayed until he was sleeping.

Dawn walked back up the ladder. Buffy was leaning against one of the sarcophagi. "I'm not leaving him. You might as well go." Buffy took a deep breath, but didn't move.

"Is he okay?" Buffy asked trying to keep her voice even and free of hurt even though Dawn broke her heart with her words.

"No...He's not okay and I don't know what to do for him. I never should have told you about me and Spike. You can't be trusted." Dawn said partially to herself.

"Dawnie…"

"I don't want to hear it, Buffy! You were jealous because I had Spike so you had to take it away by being so incredibly self-righteous as to think you knew what made someone good or bad."

"I'll go then." Buffy said seeing the anger in Dawn's eyes. Dawn looked at the door when Buffy walked out and slammed the crypt door behind her. Dawn knew that she had to be strong now for Spike. She walked back down stairs to stay with him.

Buffy headed home to where the other Scoobies were waiting for her. They all seemed a little dejected when they heard how wrong they had been. That wasn't supposed to happen to the good guys.

"Will, is there anyway to get rid of his soul, again?" Buffy asked her best friend.

"I don't think so. I mean I could easily take it away, but then we'd have the old Spike the way he was before the chip. I mean he would go completely to the other extreme the way Angel does."

"Whatever goodness he had, he had learned so it would all go away and we're pretty sure the spell d-deactivated the chip." Tara added squeezing Willow's hand gently.

"I have to fix this." Buffy said almost to herself. "You didn't hear her or see her. If Dawn loses Spike I have no idea what she'll do and I don't want her to put herself in danger especially with Glory lurking around." The room grew quiet.

"What about Angel?" Anya interjected into the silence that had filled the room.

"Ahn, care to elaborate, sweetie." Xander didn't see how bring another vamp he hated into this thing would help.

"Well, Angel probably knows all there is to know about getting a soul back. Maybe he could help and if Buffy asks he probably will." Buffy thought about it for a minute. She hated bringing Angel into her problems, but it seemed inevitable.

"I'll call him tomorrow night. Let's see if Dawn can handle this by then." Buffy hoped she could put this phone call off for as long as possible. Even if the others felt Buffy was wrong to wait, they weren't about to mention it. Dawn might be too upset right now to even accept help if it were offered.

Dawn was worried about Spike. She was afraid to leave him alone for fear that he might dust himself. Willow and Xander had told her about when Dru broke up with him and he tried to do it. This had to be a million times worse. She had tried to speak to him using their telepathic link, but Spike's thoughts were far to jumbled to understand anything. She sat on the floor with her back to Spike and her head in her hands. Spike had gone to sleep and Dawn didn't wish to disturb him. She, too, was exhausted by the day's events and dozed off in that position.

When she awoke, Dawn heard Spike make a small noise that sounded painful. She turned around and saw blood on Spike's bare chest. It was smeared across most of his normally pale skin on his chest and Dawn couldn't tell exactly where it originated from. "Spike, what did you do?" She asked desperately in more pain than any physical wound could cause her right now. Dawn's voice grew shakier and more urgent when Spike remained reticent. "Please tell me."

Spike continues to avoid eye contact with her. "I tried to cut it out. It won't stop." Dawn reached out and touched his chest. He flinched initially, but eventually gave into Dawn's gentle touch. After a moment, he grabbed her wrist in his. "No…Can't get it on your hands…It's already on mine, but shouldn't be on yours. You're too good." Dawn looked in his eyes and in that moment knew that Spike still knew who she was and still loved her even if he was rather confused right now.

Dawn smiled at him assuring him it was alright. She stood up, but again Spike caught her wrist. "Don't go. It'll be worse if I'm alone." He sounded like a lost little boy when he spoke like that.

"I won't go far. I promise I'll never leave you. I'm just going to go upstairs for a minute to get something to clean you up with." Dawn smiled again and Spike let go. She went up to the top of the crypt and went into the mini-fridge. She picked up a few packets of blood and a bottle of water, which Spike had started keeping at the crypt for her to drink. She ripped up one of his t-shirts to use as a cloth to clean him up. She smiled to herself knowing that if and when Spike got better he would probably be pissed about the shirt.

Dawn returned to Spike as she promised and sat the blood on the table wanting to clean him up first. His eyes never left hers. She poured some of the water on the rag she had made from his old shirt and used it to wash away the blood on his chest. There were several scratch marks near his heart, but they would heal quickly on such a powerful Master vampire. She took another rag from the shirt and dried his chest off before pressing it against the scratches to stop the bleeding. "All better." She said with a smile.

It was at this moment that Spike looked away from Dawn and saw the bags of blood. Dawn had learned to tell when Spike was hungry and he clearly was now. Dawn tore a small hole in one of the bags careful not to spill it. She sat on the bed next to Spike who was lying still looking up at her. "Drink." She said handing him the bag. Spike pushed it away. "You have to be strong for me, please. Just a little and then you can stop if you want." Spike reluctantly agreed and took the packet drinking its contents.

Soon Spike had finished the contents of the other packet as well. The blood had calmed him and made him a bit more lucid. "It's not supposed to be like this…" Spike said sitting up on the bed and shaking his head rapidly. "I'm supposed to take care of you…But they're too loud…so many." Dawn ran her fingers through his hair trying to sooth him.

"I know, but remember I love you and it doesn't matter what you did. I still love you. I still need you. You told me once that you weren't good, but that you were ok. It's still true. It doesn't matter what you did. It's what you do now." Dawn said trying to reason with him. Somewhere in his mind she knew he understood. He finally was letting her touch him without pulling away. They lay down together both silently crying.

Buffy paced back and forth glancing at the phone every once in a while. She hadn't seen or heard from Dawn since the night before and now Buffy knew she had to call Angel. She wished she could put it off, but she couldn't bear Dawn to keep hating her. She dialed the number that was engraved in her mind from the few times she had to call Angel. Cordelia answered the phone and Buffy almost hung up. "Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless. Cordelia speaking." Buffy took a long deep breath before speaking.

"Hey, Cordy. It's Buffy. Can I talk to Angel."

"Oh wow, Buffy. Yeah hold on." Cordy put the phone down and went to get Angel. Buffy rarely called. She usually just showed up and interfered in Cordelia's opinion. Angel knew that this had to be urgent for Buffy to call and he knew that he hadn't been in Sunnydale so it couldn't be about that.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" Angel asked getting right down to business.

"It's Spike…" Buffy didn't know where to begin.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, we hurt him." Angel sighed. He didn't really like Spike, but they were connected by blood and that meant a lot.

"How?" If he wasn't dust, then Angel didn't understand how they could hurt him.

"Willow did a spell and gave Spike back his soul. It's a really long story so I can fill you in on all of it when you get here, but I haven't seen him since last night and he was pretty out of it."

"He would be, I guess. I mean I was for a while. Did you leave him alone? He might be gone now if you did." Angel wasn't sure how to ask her since she and Spike were kind of friends now.

"No, Dawn's with him."

"Dawn? Alone? Why would you leave Dawn in such a situation instead of the other Scoobies?"

"Evidently, her and Spike are a couple." Angel nearly dropped the phone. Buffy heard him fumble with it and laughed a little. "Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction. Well that and giving him his soul back, but I know I was wrong. I don't know what will happen if he doesn't get better. Dawn will…"

"Don't worry Buffy. I'll be there soon and try to help." Angel hung up and filled Cordy in. Within seconds they were on their way to Sunnydale.

Buffy couldn't just wait around for Angel to get there. She ran through the familiar cemetery to Spike's crypt. She opened the door gently and looked for any sign of Dawn or Spike. There was no one so she walked to the later and climbed down. Spike was lying on the bed mumbling under his breath, but there was still no Dawn. Buffy walked over to the bed and sat down on a near by stone formation. Spike didn't take any notice of her and didn't even really seem to notice her when she began speaking.

"Spike, I don't know what happened. I was scared for Dawn. I should have trusted her and you I guess. I thought it would be good, make you like Angel not that that really worked out so well. I know that you probably can't hear me or understand me or even know that I'm here, but I'm sorry Spike." Dawn came in just as Buffy said the last words. Buffy told Spike she was sorry. Now if she could only help him.

"Hi, Buffy." Dawn said calmly as she walked down the ladder. Buffy stood up as if she meant to leave, but Dawn motioned that it was alright for her to stay. "Did you mean it? Are you sorry?"

"Dawnie of course I'm sorry I hurt you." Buffy said with pleading in her voice.

"No that isn't what I want to know. I know you wouldn't want to hurt me even if you do sometimes. Are you sorry that you hurt him?"

"I didn't mean to hurt him, but I still think that in the long run it will be better."

"Not if he's dust because he can't live with things he has done. Besides, I'm not you. I couldn't send him to hell, couldn't dust him and I can't guarantee that we will never be perfectly happy. What then?"

"Nothing." Dawn's face should clear confusion. "Willow took that clause out. He won't lose his soul if he is happy. It wasn't meant to be a curse just a precaution. You won't have to kill him." Silence fell and Dawn moved over to Spike. She wanted to thank Buffy for not making it a complete curse, but it still seemed wrong to thank her in any way.

"Hey, I'm back. Sorry it took so long." Dawn said to Spike who had barely moved since they came in. It was as if he were watching something in his head, all of his bad deeds in a twisted best of montage. Dawn put the bag she was carrying down. She took out a first aid kit she had bought to properly take care of the cuts Spike had put on his chest.

"What happened?" Buffy asked as Dawn dressed the wounds.

"He said that he was trying to cut it out. There was so much blood. I know he can't die that way, but I was still so scared." When Dawn finished bandaging Spike up, she took out a packet of blood that she had gotten at the butcher's shop as Spike was all out. "Spike, look at me." Dawn took his hand when he didn't move and used their telepathic link to break through to Spike.

_Spike look at me. Good. Drink this._

_No…I can't…_

_Yes you can. You aren't hurting anyone. Please, for me._

_For my Dawn, my love. _

"Did he say anything?" Buffy asked as Dawn let go of Spike's hand. Spike sat up and took the blood beginning to drink it though still silent.

"Yeah, he said he'd drink it for me. Is there something specific that you wanted because if it's to get me to come home I'm not coming until Spike is alright." Buffy shook her head.

"I called Angel. He's on his way here with Cordy I think. He said he'll try to help Spike anyway he can." Buffy moved toward the ladder and walked half way up. "I am sorry, Dawnie. I'll send Angel right here when he gets here." Dawn knew what it meant that Buffy would call Angel to help. She just hoped he could.


End file.
